Published: Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 8:53 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 8:53 p.m.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Victor Hampton’s earned his reputation as one of the nation’s most vicious hitters, and prior to Wednesday’s 34-24 victory over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, he urged his teammates to mimic his tough demeanor.

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“Basically before the game I challenged our manhood because I felt like we were being challenged,” Hampton said. “It was a knock-out, drag-out, what type of man are you football game. I feel like the last game we played like that was LSU and we came out on the bottom, and now we came out on top. Everybody said all week we couldn’t stop the run and that (Jadeveon) Clowney didn’t want to stop the run, and they just basically were trying us and we took it personal and showed that.”

Hampton, who didn’t start due to slightly missing curfew the night before the game, but only sat for one play, supplied the most violent collision of the game when he walloped Badgers starting quarterback Joel Stave on a keeper during Wisconsin’s final possession of the third quarter.

Stave remained in for a couple more plays, but then left for the locker room and never returned.

“To be honest we made eye contact and it was weird because I don’t know what he was thinking,” Hampton said. “I don’t know what he was doing or what was going through his head. If I was him I would’ve slid. It’s not like he’s Connor Shaw who runs the ball where he can pull it down and agility-wise has it, but it was just a play where I was able to lick him up. I thumped him.”

USC led 20-17 at the time and that possession became even more notable when Wisconsin decided against a field goal attempt that could’ve tied it, and instead was stopped on fourth-and-1 from USC’s 26. The Badgers also were snubbed on third-and-1 the previous play. Both were runs by 6-foot-1, 207-pound Melvin Gordon, who finished with 143 yards on 25 carries.

“That was big because as everybody knows they’ve got two 1,000-yard rushers (with Gordon and James White, who ran 12 times for 107 yards) and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them stopped on fourth-and-1 like that,” Hampton said. “They actually had two plays to get one yard and the knock on us was we couldn’t stop the football running-wise so that was a big key for us to stop those two plays.

“That was a hard-fought win that wasn’t given to us, we earned it, and I think we earned some more respect out here.”

BITTERSWEET FINALES AND OTHER POSSIBLE GOOD-BYES: USC defensive end Jadeveon Clowney officially confirmed the no-brainer that he is indeed skipping his senior season to enter April’s NFL Draft, where he’s expected to be a top-five pick and possibly No. 1 overall. Hampton also reconfirmed he’s departing. Defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles and receiver Bruce Ellington are still mulling their decisions.

“I’m looking forward to playing in the NFL,” Clowney said. “It’s been my dream since I was 5 years old. I watched Julius Peppers’ whole career and Ray Lewis. I look up to all of those guys. Just to be going out there and one day hopefully playing against a Peyton Manning, it’s an honor, it’s great.”

Hampton said he hadn’t submitted paperwork to the NFL Advisory Board which would provide an opinion on where he would be selected. He said he’s hearing right now he’s a “second or third” round pick. “I’m going to train my tail off and hopefully do well in the interviews with teams and they’ll like me.”

Ellington said he hasn’t made a decision and hasn’t yet established a timetable to do so after mentioning in an earlier bowl practice he’s considering leaving early. Coach Steve Spurrier pondered where the two-sport star’s career may take him.

“Obviously I think Bruce has got a chance to play in the NFL if that’s the direction he wants to go,” Spurrier said, before turning toward Ellington. “You don’t want to go to Europe and play basketball, do you? He might want to go over to Russia and play, I don’t know. But, yeah, he’s kind of thinking of a career in football.”

When asked if he felt Ellington would join him in leaving early, Hampton said, “After a game like that, and he’s graduated from college, I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”

THIS AND THAT: Spurrier closed out USC’s post-game press conference by announcing that quarterback Connor Shaw had been invited to the NFL Combine. ... The victory was the 300th collegiate game coached by Spurrier (219-79-2) and was the first time he’s faced Wisconsin. ... It marked the 42nd victory by the senior class, extending their school record that surpassed the previous high of 38 held by last year’s class. ... USC has now won 11 games for the third consecutive season and has a 16-game win streak against non-SEC foes. ... Wisconsin’s 117 passing yards were the second-lowest allowed by USC this season. ... Freshman spur Jordan Diggs recorded a career-high six tackles and freshman corner Rico McWilliams made his first career start in place of Hampton.

<p>ORLANDO, Fla. — Victor Hampton's earned his reputation as one of the nation's most vicious hitters, and prior to Wednesday's 34-24 victory over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, he urged his teammates to mimic his tough demeanor.</p><p>“Basically before the game I challenged our manhood because I felt like we were being challenged,” Hampton said. “It was a knock-out, drag-out, what type of man are you football game. I feel like the last game we played like that was LSU and we came out on the bottom, and now we came out on top. Everybody said all week we couldn't stop the run and that (Jadeveon) Clowney didn't want to stop the run, and they just basically were trying us and we took it personal and showed that.”</p><p>Hampton, who didn't start due to slightly missing curfew the night before the game, but only sat for one play, supplied the most violent collision of the game when he walloped Badgers starting quarterback Joel Stave on a keeper during Wisconsin's final possession of the third quarter.</p><p>Stave remained in for a couple more plays, but then left for the locker room and never returned.</p><p>“To be honest we made eye contact and it was weird because I don't know what he was thinking,” Hampton said. “I don't know what he was doing or what was going through his head. If I was him I would've slid. It's not like he's Connor Shaw who runs the ball where he can pull it down and agility-wise has it, but it was just a play where I was able to lick him up. I thumped him.”</p><p>USC led 20-17 at the time and that possession became even more notable when Wisconsin decided against a field goal attempt that could've tied it, and instead was stopped on fourth-and-1 from USC's 26. The Badgers also were snubbed on third-and-1 the previous play. Both were runs by 6-foot-1, 207-pound Melvin Gordon, who finished with 143 yards on 25 carries.</p><p>“That was big because as everybody knows they've got two 1,000-yard rushers (with Gordon and James White, who ran 12 times for 107 yards) and I don't think I've ever seen them stopped on fourth-and-1 like that,” Hampton said. “They actually had two plays to get one yard and the knock on us was we couldn't stop the football running-wise so that was a big key for us to stop those two plays.</p><p>“That was a hard-fought win that wasn't given to us, we earned it, and I think we earned some more respect out here.”</p><p><b>BITTERSWEET FINALES AND OTHER POSSIBLE GOOD-BYES: </b>USC defensive end Jadeveon Clowney officially confirmed the no-brainer that he is indeed skipping his senior season to enter April's NFL Draft, where he's expected to be a top-five pick and possibly No. 1 overall. Hampton also reconfirmed he's departing. Defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles and receiver Bruce Ellington are still mulling their decisions.</p><p>“I'm looking forward to playing in the NFL,” Clowney said. “It's been my dream since I was 5 years old. I watched Julius Peppers' whole career and Ray Lewis. I look up to all of those guys. Just to be going out there and one day hopefully playing against a Peyton Manning, it's an honor, it's great.”</p><p>Hampton said he hadn't submitted paperwork to the NFL Advisory Board which would provide an opinion on where he would be selected. He said he's hearing right now he's a “second or third” round pick. “I'm going to train my tail off and hopefully do well in the interviews with teams and they'll like me.”</p><p>Ellington said he hasn't made a decision and hasn't yet established a timetable to do so after mentioning in an earlier bowl practice he's considering leaving early. Coach Steve Spurrier pondered where the two-sport star's career may take him.</p><p>“Obviously I think Bruce has got a chance to play in the NFL if that's the direction he wants to go,” Spurrier said, before turning toward Ellington. “You don't want to go to Europe and play basketball, do you? He might want to go over to Russia and play, I don't know. But, yeah, he's kind of thinking of a career in football.”</p><p>When asked if he felt Ellington would join him in leaving early, Hampton said, “After a game like that, and he's graduated from college, I don't see why he wouldn't.”</p><p><b>THIS AND THAT: </b>Spurrier closed out USC's post-game press conference by announcing that quarterback Connor Shaw had been invited to the NFL Combine. ... The victory was the 300th collegiate game coached by Spurrier (219-79-2) and was the first time he's faced Wisconsin. ... It marked the 42nd victory by the senior class, extending their school record that surpassed the previous high of 38 held by last year's class. ... USC has now won 11 games for the third consecutive season and has a 16-game win streak against non-SEC foes. ... Wisconsin's 117 passing yards were the second-lowest allowed by USC this season. ... Freshman spur Jordan Diggs recorded a career-high six tackles and freshman corner Rico McWilliams made his first career start in place of Hampton.</p>